Sculpture to rise from power plant ashes

Sculptor combs rubble of South Bay generator for a work of art that salutes plant’s history

Local artist Michael Leaf is creating a sculpture from part of the old South Bay Power Plant for the mayor of Chula Vista. He visited the site on Monday, March 11, to gather interesting pieces for his work.
— John Gibbins

Local artist Michael Leaf is creating a sculpture from part of the old South Bay Power Plant for the mayor of Chula Vista. He visited the site on Monday, March 11, to gather interesting pieces for his work.
— John Gibbins

He envisions the plaque anchoring the sculpture, which he said will be large — between 16 and 18 feet tall. He hopes to create a statue that uses solar energy to power the light, as an active testament to the plant’s years of service powering homes in South Bay. He said he may also do a series of 12 smaller pieces to complement the larger sculpture.

Leaf suspects the sculpture will eventually find a home somewhere in the 550-acre master-planned community in store for Chula Vista’s bayfront, which is to include hotels, condos, retail, restaurants, parks and a resort conference center.

Bensoussan said she hopes the Port of San Diego decides to feature the finished piece on the revitalized bayfront as a homage to what used to stand there.